1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for collecting and managing patient data. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method that employs standardized data collection forms for use by health care providers and patients to enable efficient collection, storage and management of patient data for treatment of diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Redesigning the delivery-of-care processes for diseases, such as rheumatic diseases within rheumatology practices and health systems, is critical to improving the outcomes and costs of care for patients. Traditional approaches to doing this work are generally inefficient, highly variable, and undependable. The complexity of the task is steadily increasing because of growing treatment options and expanding requirements for documenting services and disease outcomes. The electronic medical record actually does little to improve efficiency and physician functioning in and of itself; it merely stores whatever information we enter, in whatever format we enter it. A more fundamental redesigning of how we collect and manage information is needed, and the potential impacts of these efforts on outcomes and costs should be dramatic. Continuing with traditional approaches will lead to a further deterioration in outcomes, costs, and profits.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system and method for efficiently collecting and managing patient data to assist in achieving improvements in patient treatment.